The advent of three dimensional optical mapping systems, based on correlated information from a phased array of image sensors (CCD or equivalent) sets new levels of complexity in system architecture design. This complexity poses considerable problems not only during experimental development and integration but also sets minimum diagnostic requirements for "first line" monitoring of a production equipment's status. The purpose of this invention is the combination of features namely, the architecture of a frame rate topography processor system, use only of such a system's sufficient control, data and address highways, and the introduction of end to end non interruptive graphic macro diagnostic techniques to allow "first line" system GO/NOGO decisions to be reached without the need for an extensive second layer microscopic BITE, or the use of additional external test equipments. These capabilities provide non interruptive visual, augmented visual or automatic visual diagnostic determination of correct end to end system internal parameter, or combined parameter performance characteristics.
The division between the embodiment of functionality in the hardware or software of an optical typography processing systems is dictated by the target applications required maximum real time response. Using frame stores and time dilation many systems take advantage of processors, operating within Von Neumann architectures, to identify vectors of particular attributes, and correlate such vectors between their different perspective images in the calculation of the system relative range to elements of topographical detail otherwise referred to as image detail range decompression.
Such systems benefit from the reliability of today's digital technology and the flexibility afforded by programming languages. The comfort afforded by high level software exacts a price for their inherent expansion factors in the serial execution speed of such processes, and the reduced visibility of the target machine process mapping, and therefore of its executed performance. Faster execution and visibility supported by low level software design alas remains a specialist domain in whose absence reliability and maintainability issues often arise.
For a modest system comprising three virtual imager systems with operating bandwidths of around 5 mHZ and utilising vectors of two different attributes, then it is arguable that for complete image detail range decompression at the image sensor frame rate, would necessitate vector intercepts to be calculated at an effective rate of around 300 mHZ. The latency of such processes embedded in software will currently generally considerably exceed that of a frame period. Diagnostic monitoring of software performance usually necessitates a combination of offline postmortem scrutiny, and or the use of monitoring by utility and trace systems. The information from such processes is generally microscopic and representative of implementation computational anomalies, or possible evidence of a failure in the passing of control or data. In any event the provision of diagnostic information, and or its recovery from a system introduces overheads to the target application, in respect of application non essential, or additional external equipments, and or in respect of the latency of their associated serial processing techniques which further takes the system out of its normal operational envelope, and almost certainly further away from frame rate execution.
The identification and rectification of hardware failures tends to fall into a hierarchy of approaches. Systems with integrated BITE start of day, or continuous BITE often allow at the "first line" timely identification of system malfunctions. The use of such techniques to identify GO/NOGO situations support high levels of overall system operability. At the "second line" intermediate level, equipments isolated from a system lend themselves to analysis by dedicated test equipments, and or board swapping to rectify failures. For localized functional anomalies, "third line" specialist monitoring at board level supports rectification of failed components.
Characteristic of all these techniques for both software and hardware is that they address microscopic detail in a system's performance, whose interpretation may provide evidence, in specific contexts, of the causal mechanisms for failure of macroscopic functionality. However many of the techniques tend to clinically isolate the functionality under scrutiny, and therefore isolate some faults from the operational envelope in which they occur. The purpose of non interruptive graphic macro diagnostics is to achieve through envelope testing, the rapid identification of system functional GO/NOGO indications enabling if necessary part, or whole system removal for "second" or "third line" testing.
For what may recently be considered as a complex system in which an interprocessor link supports 1000 parameters, optimistically, for process completion within a frame period, image detail range decompression processing systems need to process two to three orders of magnitude more data, realistically 300,000 parameters within the frame period. A topographical mapping system architecture described later capable of correlating all of the imaged generic pattern data within the frame period of a phased image sensor array, comprising a minimum of three virtual image sensors operating around 5 mHZ, has overall system data requirements in the order of 600 Million units (such systems tend to operate with mixed word lengths) of partitioned online RAM. An experimental implementation of an element of such a processing system comprising a single line scan processor necessitated some 60 Euro cards containing in all some 700 integrated circuits of which about 10% were VLSI and a guesstimated 20,000 pin to pin threads. To support continuous processing of data at the frame rate some 30 simultaneous parallel address processes, in support of the machines inherent multiple address capabilities, operate within each line scan processing element at the machine's clock rate.
Whilst physically such an experimental system lends itself technologically to miniaturization the complexity remains, and therefore also a clear requirement not only for the use of diagnostics in support of system development and integration, but also in support of the use of such production equipments. Whilst many systems benefit from a functionally integrated level of BITE allowing the stimulation and monitoring of system control and data threads, the introduction of a second layer of circuitry here poses immediate problems of scale. Further in practical terms the cost of such an integration for a "microscopic" diagnostic capability suggests a different approach to GO/NOGO system integrity is better sought, allowing the development of cheaper special to type "second" and "third line" test equipments.
Optical topography processor systems are by nature concerned with imaged data, which we (humans) can quickly asses. In the context of diagnostics, graphic macro diagnostics allow such human visual, or augmented visual macroscopic assessment of end to end internal system performance, or the automatic assessment of system performance based on such visual patterns.
For a topography processor system operating synchronously at the frame rate of an image sensor, advantage may be taken of a graphic macro diagnostic capability in the analysis of internal as well as overall system performance characteristics. Equally for such a system with internal asynchronous functionality, executing and completing within a frame period, then for a defined apriori system drive such asynchronous functionality may also be considered to be operating in a synchronous fashion, and therefore also lends itself to the same graphic macro diagnostics techniques. An example of an analogous capability is the television test card where macroscopic assessment of the overall end to end performance of an equipment can be easily made using only the functionality of the equipment under test, and of course the assumed integrity of the broadcast test picture. Topographical mapping systems, particularly those employing general purpose processors to effect range decompression of image detail, generally allow display monitoring of the imaged scenario, but thereafter time dilated processing of imaged data tends towards asynchronous manipulation of binary representations of the imaged scenario. The reconstitution and display of meaningful images in such a system, particularly of intermediate process results, necessitates interruptive system processing if only to allow sufficient serial processing time for the generation of what may often only be a snapshot.
For a frame rate topography processor system as outlined above, a variety of possibilities exist to monitor non interruptively system internal and overall performance characteristics utilising the hardware dedicated to the system's prime functionality. This may be achieved by mixing process parameters with appropriate frame and line sync in the generation of graphic macro diagnostic information for display on the system's prime display. This can include all stages of the system's processes, end to end, from imaged scenario and field of regard scanning assessment and calibration, through to performance of image thread processing, input of compressed data to partitioned input stacks where the asynchronous write enable commands and digit output of stack pointers generate graphic macro diagnostic indications of processor input performance and address integrity for each channel of the system. Further the correlation of imaged information in the calculation of vector intercepts for pairs of channels and specific vector attributes are equally inherently available at the frame rate, for visual monitoring, for each of the various continuous parallel processors. The further characteristics of line processor iteration rates, and the rates of line process completion also lend themselves to graphic macro diagnostic analysis. Intermediate computation results of multiple address transform processes defining vector pair intercepts are similarly monitorable. The combination of vector pair intercepts in the generation of each line processor's parallel frame rate output of the system scenario data base is similarly possible.
Various possibilities exist to contrive particular visual patterns, sets (discontinuous in time) of sets of data continuous in time, in the stimulation of such a system, whereby aspects of the systems performance represented by their associated graphic macro diagnostic response, sets (discontinuous in time) of sets of data continuous in time, may be monitored. It is clearly a function of the various system transfer functions and the definition of the stimulation data sets, as to the form of the graphic diagnostic response. Consideration of particular system transfer functions and a suitably appropriate definition of stimulation data sets, support the ergonomic definition of graphic diagnostic visual response patterns. Where the response pattern data of particular system parameters makes ergonomic design difficult, augmented visual diagnostic responses may be employed. Here for an apriori stimulation, display of the difference or error graphical macro diagnostic response indicating departure from the system anticipated response may be generated. Referring back to the analogy of the television test card, such a display could in the case of a television indicate those parts of the television's transfer characteristics which fall outside the anticipated performance specification. The techniques further do not restrict themselves to the monitoring of single parameters but allow, for an apriori system drive, the simultaneous monitoring of for example complete address generation through the use of transform processors permitting the display of again an error or difference signal.
A number of different approaches support the generation of time distributed image pattern data, sets (discontinuous in time) of sets of data continuous in time, in support of the graphic macro diagnostic monitoring of system internal process performance characteristics. One technique would be to physically introduce into the system's image sensor optical systems graphical images (perhaps photographs of the real world) of the different perspectives of the individual imagers comprising the phased array, or to introduce separate video recordings of such images into the output channels of the image sensors. In the former case some host environments would not necessarily lend themselves to the mechanical interference associated with the introduction of physical images into the imagers optical systems. In the latter case the accurate external dynamic control of a video recorder's frame and line sync generation non interruptively in sympathy with the system's video syncing demands, unlike that of an image sensor, pose considerable problems.
It is suggested that for a frame rate topographical mapping system including the type described later that the introduction of minimal non interruptive hardware to effect system stimulation and system diagnostic response monitoring fed to the system video mixer can support a comprehensive range of system GO/NOGO integrity checks. In particular a differential binary event generator permits stimulation of the topography processor system under manual or automatic control where the time relative generation of such binary events (vectors) between the processor's binary event input channels allows the simulation of three dimensional spacial reference points enabling manual system end to end confidence checks to be made. Further visual, augmented visual or automatic visual system integrity checks may be made for apriori three dimensional reference points, implied by specific differential vectors, injected into the system where each stage of their processing generates determinable results for comparison allowing in addition to static system integrity checks, the further assessment of the system's dynamic response characteristics. Extended analysis of other design aspects for example the integrity of internal address generation may be made by switching on line a variety of identity transform processors whose differing transform characteristics allow the visual, augmented visual or automatic isolation of system functional or component anomalies, whilst non interruptively preserving the overall integrity of the system's end to end architecture.
The example of a frame rate generic pattern derived topography processor used in the main line description is based on the premise that for a group of three or more image sensors whose fields of view share a common scenario, then within this common scenario the spacial position of an element of topographical detail is represented by a unique multiple vector intersection comprising one vector from each image sensor. In particular and simplifying the problem then for a group of three or more logically and physically aligned image sensors gaining separate perspective views of the same scenario, such that common scenario image detail is contrived to register in corresponding line scans of each of the image sensors in the group, then if sets of data elements having similar attributes, excepting their position within a particular line scan and which data may further be considered as representative of vectors from their host image sensor to elemental scenario detail, can be identified from each image sensor's composite video signal then the association between such vectors, contained within sets of vectors from a particular image sensor with vectors contained in similar sets from the other image sensors, can be made by considering all possible combinations of vectors between such sets of sets, including one from each image sensor, where the existence of combinations of such vectors having a common multiple and real intersection resolves the generic pattern recognition problems of vector association and the spacial positioning of the topographical detail in the observed scenario.
A system architecture and processes capable of supporting such frame rate generic pattern recognition, that is vector identification and association whereby the spacial resolution between members of sets of sets of such vectors, fundamental to automatic topographical mapping of this kind, may be described by considering three distinct areas of functionality which may in practice constitute sub systems.
Firstly a sub system comprising a minimum number of three image sensors organised as a phased image sensor array, in which the image sensors can be slaved to give different perspective views of a common scenario and where the position and orientation of each image sensor is such that the boresights of their individual fields of view are parallel, and common image detail is registered in corresponding line scans of each of the image sensors, that is at common angles of elevation within each image sensors respective field of view, and where frame and line sync signals of all the image sensors respective composite video signals have correspondence in time.
Depending on the nature of the application such a system should include the possibility of a scanner allowing electronic as well as mechanical scanning of the scenario by the image sensors for three main reasons, firstly to achieve angular resolutions of less than 50 micro radians and the ranging possibilities afforded by such resolution, the angular positioning of such a system does not lend itself entirely to mechanical slaving. One aspect therefore of electronic slaving is to allow controlled slaving to these accuracies, secondly the field of view at such resolution for a single sensor is small therefore scanning allows a practical field of regard to be employed, thirdly the nature of this type of ranging from aligned image sensors is such that sets of vector pair intersections are parabolic and logarithmic in nature, and therefore a rotation of the field of view allows better range discrimination particularly at extreme ranges.
Secondly a sub system comprising an image pattern thread processor or equivalent capable for each image sensor, comprising the phased image sensor array, of simultaneously and in real time processing the composite video signal generated by each such image sensor to extract sets of vectors with specific attributes between these image sensors, and further time log the occurrence of all such vectors partitioned by image sensor, attribute, and line scan (elevation angle within the image sensor field of view) so identifying their position within the line scan (azimuth angle within the image sensor field of view). No limit is set on the number of different vector attributes to be identified, nor on the partitioning of such sets necessary to support real time computation in the processing sub system.
Thirdly a processing sub system is necessary capable of calculating within the frame period the existence of all possible real and virtual vector intersections necessary to identify multiple common and real intercepts, including one vector from each image sensor, in resolving the vector association and spacial positioning of the scenarios topographical detail. To achieve the effective processing rates necessary to resolve all possible multiple intersections of unassociated vectors which have been automatically selected according to a particular attribute from a number of image sensors composite video signals in real time, and thereby resolve the association of members of such sets of sets of vectors between image sensors requires a processor architecture supporting partitioned and parallel processing. Further a requirement exists to automatically synthesise, and again in parallel, the identities of all possible combinations of pairs of vectors between image sensors, each such pair comprising a vector taken from a set of vectors considered as from a reference image sensor and a vector taken from each of the sets of sets of vectors of similar attributes for each of the other image sensors. For the pairs of vector identities so synthesised and in parallel the architecture also requires an effective multiple address capability which allows the vector pair identities to synthesise the identity of the solutions to complex mathematical processes, where the finite apriori knowledge concerning the existence of possible vector intersections or other processes, permits the definition of identity transforms representing the result of such processes on particular pairs of identities, that is a capability to synthesise a third identity from a particular pair of identities. A multiple address capability in the conventional sense allows information being processed to be moved from the contents of one address to the contents of another address, here the data of the input operands submitted for processing is implicit in their combined address identity and the process transforms this identity to produce a result implicit as a third identity. The identity transforms should be capable of multiple parallel operation to process other simultaneously synthesised vector identity pairs from other sets of sets of vectors, or to address a necessary precision or aspect of a particular transform. Such transforms should also be capable of being cascaded to allow the interaction of other variables or results of previous transforms.
The final identities from a single, parallel or cascaded transform process or processes forms the address identity for an ordered vector pair intersection buffer into which the binary existence of a process result may be written, one such buffer being dedicated to each pair of sets of vectors. In this way simultaneous vector pair intersections can be synthesised within the effective multiple addressing time. By synchronous parallel reading of sets of ordered vector pair intersection buffers the simultaneous event of the existence of a real vector intersection being read from each of the dedicated buffers comprising a set, satisfies the multiple vector intersection premise for determining the spacial position of an element of topographical detail.
It is possible to identify specific aspects of such system's infrastructure, which generally support the previously outlined frame rate range decompression of imaged detail. Outside of the main line description of an example of a topography processor system, a number of sub system descriptions are included which amplify these and other aspects of technologies employed. These examples generally include elements of generic functionality already introduced but configured so as to isolate the aspect of technology under discussion. A further example of an image detail range decompression system, is described, with largely asynchronous characteristics but which may in some modes of operation, also be considered as a synchronous system and therefore capable of supporting the macro diagnostic analysis.
Further detailed descriptions are also included of certain other aspects of sub system functionality, these include an example of a phased image sensor array, such an array is necessary in supporting simultaneous correlation of differing perspective images. Similarly virtual image sensors which support the rapid and accurate electronic positioning of the sensed image field of view boresight are also described in some detail. For some operating environments three axis stabilisation of image sensor boresights is essential, and a further detailed description in included for compatible electronic functionality to provide this. Finally an image pattern thread processor is also separately described in some detail, such functionality is capable of identifying vectors of particular and different attributes at an image sensor's data rate.
An example of an iterative subset pattern derived topography processor with largely asynchronous process characteristics is included in the text, not least for comparative analysis, but also for its own variation of a data rate range processor. This subsystem is based on the premise that the visual information registered in a line scan of an image sensor may be considered as a set of subset patterns. Each subset pattern comprises a set of pattern elements, where such a set of pattern elements represents a sectioned element of topographical detail in the observed scenario. The set, comprising every line scan in a frame, of sets of subset patterns, contained in each line scan, is the set of all the imaged topographical detail.
For two similar image sensors of known separation and orientation whose fields of view share a common scenario and where common image detail is contrived to register in corresponding line scans of both image sensors, then from their different perspectives the spacial position of elements of topographical detail within the common scenario is determined by the image sensors fields of view boresight relative azimuth and elevation angles of unique pairs of pattern elements, one from each image sensor contained within associated subset patterns.
For the image sensor pair and scenario described above the position and definition of the subset patterns contained within line scans of each image sensor will vary according to the geometry of the scenario and relative position and orientation of each image sensor.
The automatic identification from one image sensor of pattern elements comprising subset patterns, without recourse to models of potential patterns, and the further correlation of members of sets of such subset patterns once identified with members of sets of subset patterns determined by the perspective of the other image sensor poses a number of problems.
This sub system addresses the strategies for the identification of subset patterns from one image sensor, and the correlation of members of these subset patterns with members of associated subset patterns from the other image sensor.
Image detail contained within the luminance signal from an image sensor may be considered to be partitioned or punctuated by the binary events comprising the output of an image pattern thread processor capable of providing pattern outline and relief contour detail of an observed scenario in real time. The binary events correspond to luminance signal frequency excursions through preset upper or lower frequency limits.
If pairs of sets comprising luminance signal elements with the differing attributes amplitude and time differential, characterising in each set unassociated pattern elements, are generated in real time for each line scan for each of the two image sensors then such sets may further be partitioned into subsets, characterising subset patterns, where for a particular image sensor, and line scan a new pair of subset patterns, one for each luminance attribute, is initiated by the occurrence of a luminance frequency excursion through a preset upper or lower frequency limit. Such pairs of subset patterns each comprising sets of elements of a particular and different luminance attribute from one image sensor may be compared with corresponding sets of pairs of such subset patterns (same line scan, same start criterion upper or lower frequency excursion event, and same luminance attribute amplitude or time differential) from the other image sensor. The number of elements considered for comparison between subset patterns is limited by the minimum number of members of either subset pattern considered for comparison.
For the two image sensors, as described previously and where the boresights of their respective fields of view are parallel and where their frame and line sync generation is controlled such that time coincidence exists between the characteristics of these signals between image sensors then a subset pattern from the common scenario registered by both image sensors will exist for the right hand image sensor with time coincidence or earlier in a frame's line scan than the corresponding associated subset pattern for the left hand image sensor.
For a dual image sensor scenario as outlined above the premise on which this method is based is that given a criterion by which subset patterns may be identified then for combinations of potentially similar (same start criterion frequency excursion event through upper set frequency limit or (exclusive) lower set frequency limit) subset patterns synthesised for corresponding line scans from both image sensors then for the multiple condition of pairs of pairs of subset patterns having equality (to a given precision) between corresponding luminance amplitude members from one pair of subset patterns and equality (to a given precision) between luminance time differential members from the other pair of subset patterns then a reasoned degree of probability exists that such members between such pairs of subset patterns between both image sensors represent unique vectors having an intersection at an element of topographical detail in the real world.
The system relative spacial position of such an element of associated topographical detail may be determined since the slant range is resolvable as a function of such members normally defined azimuth angles within each image sensors field of view. For slant ranges so calculated the system boresight relative height of the element of topographical detail is determined as a function of such members line in frame that is the common elevation angle of the members within the image sensors fields of view.
A variety of possibilities exist to iteratively generate combinations of pairs of pairs of subset patterns between image sensors to allow comparison between pairs of subset pattern members of the same attribute in real time.
Having identified the subset patterns in real time for both image sensors and passed such information of their partitioned data sets to an external computer system during one frame period, synthesis of subset pattern combinations and iterative comparison of their members may be made by software during the subsequent frame period.
For image sensors with time coincidence of their frame and line sync generation, hardware comparison of pairs of pairs of subset patterns may be made in real time between combinations of pairs of pairs of subset patterns synthesised by the iterative (on an inter frame basis) relative mechanical slaving in azimuth of the image sensors fields of view such that an effective relative sweep of the observed scenario by one image sensor's field of view in relation to the other image sensor's field of view brings time correspondence between particular and different pairs of pairs of subset patterns contained within corresponding line scans of the two image sensors.
For image sensors whose fields of view boresights are fixed and where their frame and line sync characteristics have default time coincidence then the iterative, on an inter frame basis, time relative shifting of frame and line sync separation between image sensors (effective time advance of the lefthand image sensor's sync in relation to the righthand image sensor sync) over a maximum of one line scans luminance period will also synthesise combinations of pairs of pairs of subset patterns with time coincidence between the image sensors so allowing real time hardware comparison of such pairs of pairs of subset patterns between image sensors.
Co-operatively slaveable phased virtual image sensor arrays feature in both topography processing systems described here. They support applications requiring that image sensors CCD or equivalent be logically and physically positioned and oriented, such that they generate different perspective views of a common scenario, and that common image detail is registered in corresponding line scans of all such image sensors in the array, and further that the frame and line sync generation by all such image sensors has time coincidence.
It may, for such sub systems, further be required by some applications for the image sensors in such an array to accurately slave their respective fields of view to a different but still common scenario, or for the image sensors of such an array to perform an accurate and co-operatively synchronised scan of a common field of regard. Whilst mechanical slaving of image sensors may satisfy some requirements virtual image sensors support the fast and accurate positioning of their fields of view, and allows controlled accurate electronic coordinated and synchronised scanning between sensors. For all such requirements the image information from such a multiple image sensor system may need to be passed to an external processing system.
The use of virtual image sensors is also discussed in more detail later in the text, these allow the electronic positioning of an image sensor's field of view, which need arises primarily because of the necessary field of view boresight pointing angle accuracies and slew rates required in image correlation systems, this is unachievable solely from mechanical systems.
Image sensors CCD or equivalent are limited for a particular magnification to a specific field of view. For image sensors which are capable of mechanical slaving in azimuth or elevation, the envelope of the image sensor's field of view is referred to as the image sensor's field of regard.
A virtual image sensor extracts subsets of luminance signals from an array of appropriately positioned, orientated and synchronised image sensors, where by combining these luminance subsets with appropriate frame and line sync information the composite video signal so formed allows the real time generation of an image from components of images afforded by the array of image sensors, whose adjoining fields of view support the virtual sensor's field of regard equivalent to that of their combined fields of view, and where the field of view of the virtual image sensor is equivalent to that of the field of view of one of the image sensors comprising the array.
Some applications exist where the appropriate positioning of static image sensors in such an array covering for example 360 degrees allows simultaneous multiple fields of view possibilities not achievable from a single movable image sensor, nor from an array of static image sensors not comprising such a virtual image sensor. Further the electronic positioning of the virtual image sensor's field of view within its field of regard can be made faster and more accurately than is possible with a mechanical system.
Historically, stable platforms have been achieved through mechanical or electromechanical functionality. In the context of image sensors such methods of stabilization cannot offer the rate and positional accuracies achievable through electronic stabilization. This aspect of functionality is also addressed later in some detail. The roll pitch and yaw rates for such a system may be derived from traditional sensors or from software tracking of pattern thread motion possible with image sensors.
Such a sub system is capable of real time operation within the context of the frame rate of such an image sensor where the data latency of the stabilized data is one frame period. This sub system depends on the ability to store image data, contained in the composite video signal from an image sensor, in a memory where the address for each pixel of information is generated at the maximum bandwidth frequency of the image sensor and is corrected in real time to account for roll, pitch and yaw displacements of the image sensor.
Such a sub system is capable of image derotation traditionally performed by mirrors, but is also intended for example to allow for distributed image sensor systems in which some components may be cantilevered out and where such components may be subject to local vibrational and bending moment effects of the structure as well as the motion of the entire system. In particular the sub system provides compatible functionality with the topography processors, though it necessitates a coordinated integration of the inverse functionality (as described in this particular sub system description) across the multiple associated component level CCD or equivalent sensors comprising a virtual image sensor, if the frame period data latency is to be avoided.
Image sensors CCD or equivalent, typically with operating bandwidths of 5 mhz or greater, generate on a continuous basis considerable volumes of data. Analogue to digital converters are becoming increasingly faster making real time input of data from such devices, used as front end sensors, to computer processing systems a reality. However the software task of real time data reduction to extract important image pattern thread information, particularly when the images relate to a dynamic scenario, presents a considerable processing load to any computer. Many applications could benefit from hardware data reduction techniques which improves the image pattern thread information to data ratio of the input from such image sensors to computer systems. A more detailed consideration of such functionality employed in the topography processor system, is also addressed later in the text.
The image pattern thread information contained in the composite video signal of an image sensor is generally contained in the upper region of the image sensor bandwidth, and spectral analysis or equivalent processing of this signal yields the binary event information of elements of image pattern threads.
The position within a CCD raster scan, that is within the field of view of the image sensor, of the occurrence of such binary events is also determinable. Both the binary event information and event identities may be input to a computer system, the binary event data as an image mapped array, whilst the binary event identification lends itself to data compression techniques allowing partitioned (on the basis of line scan and attribute) lists of data to be formed further expediting the subsequent analysis of such data by other processing systems. Double buffering of memories used to pass such data to an external processing system allows, on a frame basis, a continuous throughput of data.
Visibility of the output of the image pattern thread processor is possible by the display of a composite video signal synthesised by the real time combination of the binary event signal with current stripped frame and line sync information from the image sensor.
The present invention is primarily as defined in the claims, but also relates to the problems and solutions discussed above.
According to the current invention, in its first aspect there is provided a topography processor system comprising a phased image sensor array, at least one processor arranged to perform range decompression of imaged detail, and a means for allowing non interruptive graphic macro diagnosis based on a graphic display of the frame rate macroscopic behaviour of internal transfer functions of the system to permit visual, augmented visual or automatic visual determination of the system's integrity.
The present invention provides in a further aspect a real time generic pattern derived topography processor comprising, three or more image sensors, CCD or equivalent, of defined separation, orientation and synchronisation organised as a phased image sensor array where their fields of view share a common scenario, and one or more processors capable of processing the image sensors composite video signals to identify and associate binary elements of generic patterns between all image sensors in the phased image sensor array thereby resolving the system relative spacial position of topographical detail implicit in such correlated generic patterns.
The present invention provides in a yet further aspect an iterative subset pattern derived topography processor comprising, two similar image sensors, CCD or equivalent, of defined position orientation and relative frame and line synchronisation whose fields of view share a common scenario, and a processor or processors capable of the iterative synthesis of combinations of, and real time comparison of, subset patterns between sets of such subset patterns derived from the two image sensors composite video signals, where the multiple correlation of such subset patterns members between image sensors allows the system relative spacial position of their associated elements of topographical detail to be fixed in real time from apriori knowledge.
The present invention provides in a still further aspect a cooperatively slavable phased virtual image sensor array comprising a number of equivalent virtual image sensors, logically and physically positioned and orientated, and where the boresights of their respective fields of view are parallel and such that they generate images of a common scenario from their different perspectives, and where common image detail is registered in corresponding line scans for each such virtual image sensor, and where the frame and line sync generation for each such virtual image sensor is controlled such that a time coincidence exists between the characteristics of these signals, and where each such virtual image sensor's field of view may be slaved or scan in a controlled coordinated and synchronised fashion such as to preserve the differing perspective views of a common scenario within their shared field of regard, and where such image information may be passed to an external processor system
The present invention provides in a still yet further aspect a virtual image sensor comprising a number of similar image sensors organised in an array, where the logical and physical position and orientation of each such image sensor in the array is such that their individual fields of view may be considered collectively to cover a continuous scenario comprising the individual images from each image sensor, and where it is possible to generate in real time a virtual image sensor image from components of images from one or more adjoining image sensors in the array such that the field of view of the virtual image sensor is equivalent to the field of view of any image sensor in the array and where the field of regard of the virtual image sensor comprises the individual fields of view of the image sensors in the array.
The present invention provides in a still yet further aspect an electronically stabilized image sensor comprising a memory buffering system which permits three axis positional correction of image sensor image data in real time where such data is stored address corrected as a function of the image sensor's motion, achieved through cascaded address transformation techniques, in memories during one frame period such that during the subsequent frame period the image data may be read sequentially to provide a stable platform equivalent image sensor output where double buffering of the memories used allows for continuous throughput of image data.
The present invention provides in a still yet further aspect an image pattern thread processor capable of the real time extraction of important image pattern thread information from the composite video signal of an image sensor, CCD or equivalent, comprising a luminance signal spectral analyser or equivalent capable of identifying image pattern outline and relief contour detail derived from luminance signal frequency excursions transiting through a preset upper frequency limit or falling below a preset lower frequency limit where such events generate in real time a binary event signal and an associated identity for each such event and where such information may be passed to a further processing or display system.